An important video message from DGSP Terry Pullinger. Please share as widely as possible
Some articles on the CWU ballot result and announcements
Some decent articles to share
Royal Mail CWU workers vote to strike (but want to support the country)
Some bits to share
Financial Times https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.ft.com/content/beceb382-686a-11ea-a3c9-1fe6fedcca75
Reuters https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUKKBN2143NC
Quote from Age UK https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/newslanes.com/postmen-delay-strikes-and-volunteer-to-help-protect-the-vulnerable/%3famp
IAmTheUnion 🙋♀️🙋♂️
QUADRANT PAY AGREEMENT 2020
QUADRANT PAY AGREEMENT 2020
Branches will recall that in recent years the pay review date for Quadrant members was moved to April each year, in order to align with the annual review of the National Living Wage. As in previous years both parties were committed to early discussions in 2020 to ensure that any agreed arrangements can be concluded to meet the April deadline. Discussions have therefore been taking place with Compass Group to meet that aspiration.
It would be fair to say however that two issues have had a significant bearing on the talks. Firstly, the decision by Royal Mail to move to a tender process for the future of Catering Provision across the business. Branches will be aware that while Compass Group/Quadrant have advanced to the latter stages of the tender process, no final decision has as yet been taken by Royal Mail. The CWU continue to campaign for the retention of Quadrant as the sole catering supplier to Royal Mail Group and are committed to protecting the job security of our Quadrant members.
In addition, in 2020 the annual review of the National Living Wage has produced a 6.2% rise, from £8.21 to £8.72 per hour. The department’s aspiration remained to continue to keep our Grade C members above the National minimum, which in Quadrant would require a rise of 4.6% just to match the April 2020 rate. Clearly for our Grade C members this far outstrips not only the rate of inflation measured by RPI at 2.2% but also the median level of pay increases for the sector, currently 2.3% as advised by the CWU Research Department.
To ensure that we did not just match the legal minimum but retain a differential the focus for this year has therefore been on maximising the increase in basic pay. We also sought to retain a universal percentage rise across all grades. Branches will also be aware that the 2019 pay settlement set Premium Overtime Rates (above 37.5 hours) at £1 above the appropriate hourly rate for each grade and as such they will automatically move with any increase to basic pay.
Following positive discussions, a negotiators agreement has been reached with Compass Group/Quadrant on a pay settlement, which has been endorsed by the Postal Executive at its meeting today the 17th March 2020.
The agreement meets the CWU aspiration of retaining a differential with the National Living Wage for our Grade C members, while delivering percentage pay rises for all grades which are extremely favourable when considered against inflation.
The agreement has two phases:
All grades will receive a 5% increase in basic pay from 1st April 2020.
All grades will receive a further 1% increase in basic pay from 1st October 2020.
The agreement represents a full year increase to the value of 5.7% with an exit rate of 6%. For our Grade C members, the rate from October 2020 increases the current level of differential over the National minimum, which in the circumstances we believe is a significant achievement. The next pay review date will be April 2021.
Given the current situation the Postal Executive has no hesitation in recommending the 2020 Quadrant Pay Agreement to our Quadrant members.
Arrangements and a timetable are currently being confirmed with the SDGS department for a ballot of our Quadrant members in order to ensure that the increases can be included in April salaries.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: shayman@cwu.org, quoting reference 301.09.
Yours sincerely
Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary
ROYAL MAIL GROUP DISPUTE
ROYAL MAIL GROUP DISPUTE
Following the result of our industrial action ballot, conveyed in LTB’s earlier today, the purpose of this LTB is to update Branches on developments in the dispute and explain how we must now prioritise the Coronavirus crisis, which is unfortunately having a major impact on our members, the country and the business.
In the last week there has been a significant exchange of correspondence between the Union, the Chief Executive and the Chair of the Royal Mail Group Board.
This culminated in the union making a formal proposal to the company last Friday, addressing the Coronavirus pandemic, all Royal Mail executive action, any potential for imminent industrial action and a process for talks to resolve the dispute.
It is clear that the country faces unprecedented times and as the Coronavirus crisis deepens and the government restrictions on self-isolation and social-distancing increase, it’s crucial that the union places this at the forefront of our considerations.
Therefore, we have made it clear to the company that we must now jointly prioritise the health and safety of our members, consider how we can help the country by utilising the infrastructure and daily reach of Royal Mail to play an expanded social role and discuss the sustainability of the business.
We have also made it equally clear that the company must immediately cease all executive action and jointly resolve any changes that have already been imposed in workplaces.
We are meeting Royal Mail tomorrow the 18th March and we will advise Branches of developments in due course. At this juncture, the Postal Executive has agreed that it is not appropriate to call any industrial action.
Please convey the full content of this LTB to our members in all workplaces.
Yours sincerely
Dave Ward
General Secretary
Terry Pullinger
Deputy General Secretary (P)
Postal Organising/Recruitment Strategy – Motion
Postal Organising/Recruitment Strategy – Motion 81
Further to LTBs 064/20 and 89/20 and subsequently LTB 128/20 issued today.
In light of the current situation in relation to Coronavirus/Covid-19, the Postal Organising/Recruitment Strategy Seminar due to take place in Liverpool on 26th March 2020 has been cancelled. This decision has not been taken lightly but we are mindful that delegates’ protection against the virus is our priority at this time.
We have however rescheduled the event for Thursday 22nd October 2020 in the same venue. It is hoped therefore that Branches can rearrange their hotel bookings and travel arrangements accordingly with minimal expense.
Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department.
Yours sincerely,
Terry Pullinger
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)
20LTB133 – Postal Organising-Recruitment Strategy – Motion 81
ROYAL MAIL GROUP DISPUTE
ROYAL MAIL GROUP DISPUTE
Following the result of our industrial action ballot, conveyed in LTB’s earlier today, the purpose of this LTB is to update Branches on developments in the dispute and explain how we must now prioritise the Coronavirus crisis, which is unfortunately having a major impact on our members, the country and the business.
In the last week there has been a significant exchange of correspondence between the Union, the Chief Executive and the Chair of the Royal Mail Group Board.
This culminated in the union making a formal proposal to the company last Friday, addressing the Coronavirus pandemic, all Royal Mail executive action, any potential for imminent industrial action and a process for talks to resolve the dispute.
It is clear that the country faces unprecedented times and as the Coronavirus crisis deepens and the government restrictions on self-isolation and social-distancing increase, it’s crucial that the union places this at the forefront of our considerations.
Therefore, we have made it clear to the company that we must now jointly prioritise the health and safety of our members, consider how we can help the country by utilising the infrastructure and daily reach of Royal Mail to play an expanded social role and discuss the sustainability of the business.
We have also made it equally clear that the company must immediately cease all executive action and jointly resolve any changes that have already been imposed in workplaces.
We are meeting Royal Mail tomorrow the 18th March and we will advise Branches of developments in due course. At this juncture, the Postal Executive has agreed that it is not appropriate to call any industrial action.
Please convey the full content of this LTB to our members in all workplaces.
Yours sincerely
Dave Ward
General Secretary
Terry Pullinger
Deputy General Secretary (P)
2020 Dispute Relating to Honouring & Deploying the Four Pillars of Security & Pay/Guiding Principles National Agreement between the CWU & RMG
2020 Dispute Relating to Honouring & Deploying the Four Pillars of Security & Pay/Guiding Principles National Agreement between the CWU & RMG
Please find attached a copy of the declaration of the result for the recent industrial action ballot of CWU members employed by Parcelforce Worldwide within the Royal Mail Group.
The current legislation requires the union to provide all persons entitled to vote in the ballot and the relevant employers “as soon as is reasonably practicable” after holding of the ballot the following information:
- The number of individuals who were entitled to vote in the ballot.
- The number of votes cast in the ballot.
- The number of individuals answering “Yes” to the question, or as the case may be, to each question.
- The number of individuals answering “No” to the question, or as the case may be, to each question.
- The number of spoiled or otherwise invalid voting papers returned.
- Whether or not the number of votes cast in the ballot is at least 50% of the number of individuals who were entitled to vote in the ballot.
Therefore the ballot result meets the required threshold.
Accordingly you must now take immediate steps to publicise the result to all relevant members, however it is essential that any communications regarding the result must be as a minimum contain the information as detailed at items a) to f) inclusively above.
Branches are also reminded that only the National Executive Council have the authority to instruct members to take industrial action.
Further information regarding the next steps of the dispute will be circulated by the DGS (Postal) in due course.
Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 020 8971 7237, or email address sdgs@cwu.org.
Yours sincerely,Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General SecretaryTerry Pullinger
Deputy General Secretary Postal
2020 Dispute Relating to Honouring & Deploying the Four Pillars of Security & Pay/Guiding Principles National Agreement between the CWU & RMG
2020 Dispute Relating to Honouring & Deploying the Four Pillars of Security & Pay/Guiding Principles National Agreement between the CWU & RMG
Please find attached a copy of the declaration of the result for the recent industrial action ballot of CWU members employed by the Royal Mail Group (excluding members working in Royal Mail Property and Facility Solutions, and Parcelforce Worldwide).
The current legislation requires the union to provide all persons entitled to vote in the ballot and the relevant employers “as soon as is reasonably practicable” after holding of the ballot the following information:
- The number of individuals who were entitled to vote in the ballot.
- The number of votes cast in the ballot.
- The number of individuals answering “Yes” to the question, or as the case may be, to each question.
- The number of individuals answering “No” to the question, or as the case may be, to each question.
- The number of spoiled or otherwise invalid voting papers returned.
- Whether or not the number of votes cast in the ballot is at least 50% of the number of individuals who were entitled to vote in the ballot.
Therefore the ballot result meets the required threshold.
Accordingly you must now take immediate steps to publicise the result to all relevant members, however it is essential that any communications regarding the result must be as a minimum contain the information as detailed at items a) to f) inclusively above.
Branches are also reminded that only the National Executive Council have the authority to instruct members to take industrial action.
Further information regarding the next steps of the dispute will be circulated by the DGS (Postal) in due course.
Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 020 8971 7237, or email address sdgs@cwu.org.
Yours sincerely,Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General SecretaryTerry Pullinger
Deputy General Secretary Postal
Postal Workers deliver massive strike vote but offer to become additional Emergency Service
Postal Workers deliver massive strike vote but offer to become additional Emergency Service
CWU members in Royal Mail have today beaten the anti-union laws for the third time in less than three years delivering a massive 94.5% YES vote on a return of 63.4%
This is despite CWU members, like the rest of the UK being focused on the impact of the coronavirus crisis. This represents a huge mandate both in support of their union but also in opposition to Royal Mail’s attacks on jobs and services and its plan to turn The Royal Mail into just another glorified parcels carrier.
However, the CWU recognises that since we embarked on this ballot just two weeks ago, the growing health crisis is changing the language of priorities for our members and the country.
In recognition of the fact that Royal Mail Group is the only service that connects every address in this country via its universal service, something our dispute is seeking to protect, we have made a proposal to the company based on putting the interests of the nation first.
We want the public we serve, the government and shareholders to know that we want to set aside our differences with Royal Mail and subject to prioritising the health and safety of our members, we want postal workers to become an additional emergency service in the UK. We believe this could really help the country in these unprecedented times.
Postal workers are embedded in every community in the UK. They are trusted figures. They are part of the social fabric of society. It’s time to utilise the companies unrivalled infrastructure and daily reach across every City, Town, village and rural community, remembering that for a lot of people the only person they will see every day will be their local postal worker.
With this in mind we have called for Royal Mail Group to step back from their attacks in the workplace, imposing un-agreed change and destroying the very morale and vocational sense of purpose the nation now needs and work with the union to enact our proposal.
If we can agree the introduction of the very best health and safety provisions and equipment that can guarantee our members safety, they will become an additional emergency service.
Postal workers can play a crucial role in to keep everyone in this country connected & informed, delivering medical aid, checking on the elderly and vulnerable, delivering local to local services and supporting people working from home. We could also assist with foodbank collections and the delivery of food parcels to those most in need.
In any national emergency in our history and in our day to day existence the universal postal service has played a vital role, these unprecedented events remind us all of that postal workers always come through and will stand ready to serve the nation again but Royal Mail Group must play their part by agreeing our proposal and ensuring the very best standards of safety and support to its employees.
We will be writing to the Prime Minister to gain the governments support for this approach. In the meantime, we will meet with the company tomorrow to move this proposal forward.
Finally, we want to say thank you to our members for their unbelievable support and loyalty.
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 